BVD

Hi all,

I’m thinking of buying an RX8 and am wondering what a reasonable price is to pay. Any tips on doing a deal please?

Here in Perth there are 4 dealers and they don’t have much stock. Most have 0 or 1 car each, and one has 2 or 3. Some are used for 'demos' or have perhaps been for a trip or two with dealer plates on. Presumably they all still think that they are worth top dollar and seem to have padded out the price with some fairly large “dealer delivery” costs while the cars are still not that easy to get.

They are all leather packs (list for manual Au$62,610?) and the stamp duty here is 6.5%. I’m being quoted $68,600 - $69,000 on road with stamp duty, rego and “dealer delivery” charges for a new one. This sounds a bit on the high side, but I imagine that they may still feel that they have the customers over a barrel to some extent.

I’ll have cash and no trade in. Should I hope/expect to be able to push the price down a bit , or am I likely to have to either a) bite the bullet b) wait until stocks are higher and sales are slower?

Any tips appreciated. Thanks, Chris.

msydd

That's about what I paid in Sydney.... have heard of some sightly better deals, but it can depend on what state you are registering it in.

You could always try the eastern states... it may be worth the trip??

DMRH

G'day from DMRH

In regards to the price. What will really scare you is the price of the same car in Japan. Try AUS$38K + on-road costs for the base model. AUS$56K + on-road costs here. (67% increase)

Mazda Japan would be invoicing Mazda Australia about $30K per car landed with the minor Aussie changes completed.

There is around $5K - $6K profit per dealer & the rest is Mazda Australia profit. Big ripp-off when you consider the other cars in the range (M2-M3-M6) are all similar in price to the same cars back in Japan.

Unless Mazda Australia are made red-faced into a trail-by-media. There is little chance they will reduce the price to a more realistic level.

With just 900 cars scheduled for delivery into Oz until the end of the year, demand far exceeds supply. For that reason you will find most dealers not willing to do any deals.

Expect the supply/demand scale to tip against Mazda's favour around mid-late 2004. By then, dealers will be willing to trim there profit margins to do a deal & Mazda Australia will be giving them rebates to lower the price even further.

The best deal I have heard of so far is $55K on-road (leather pack) for a relo of a dealer principle. Best general public deal I know of is $64K on-road for a leather pack version. The go there was the purchase of two cars at the same time. Thus a $128K deal for the dealer. This was a Sydney dealer & a lot of haggling.

Signed for last weekend, the buyers are expecting Jan delivery.

If you go to the biggest dealer in the city & find another party that is going to buy an RX-8. Go into the dealer & haggle a deal for 2-cars. Then simply split the difference. (Called "buying power")

Personally. My RX-8 is on-hold until the supply/demand issue goes away & I will be paying no more than $55K on-road for the base version

BVD

Thanks very much for the replies,

Interesting to hear that's about what you paid msydd. I guess I'm just not that practised at doing new car deals and I want to feel that I made a reasonable deal and didn't fumble it and pay too much.

From what you say DMRH, it sounds like my feeling that right now the dealers are being pretty tight is about right. I certainly won't be able to negotiate the sort of knock down that would be possible on other cars at that price, but are perhaps older models or less in demand. If indeed they'll come down much at all on an RX8.

I've been offered some pretty big inducements to buy other cars I've checked out.... but, well... there's only one RX8..... and there's no time like now...

Lock & Load

BVD

Why buy a 2003 spec car when 2004 is only 10 weeks away , i would wait till i could get into a 2004 plated car if not try and find a 2003 plated car in january 2004 , even though the car may be new if its a 2003 plated car u should get a 3 to 4000 dollar discount .

Stamp duties differ from state to state queensland being the cheapest , heck id even help you drive to western australia , and fly back .
If the dealer insist on full retail price negotiate with the accessories , this way he gets full price and trows in goodies at cost price to him win win situation .

I can get you a car here on the coast for 65,000.

HECK I CAN EVEN SELL YOU A SPARE SET OF NUMBER PLATES RXB88 , FOR A PRICE
BUT seriously wait till 2004 and get your rx8 then .

Kev

I paid full price for my 8 although I purchased two cars (one was a Mazda 6). I traded a car for a reasonable price and also received an additional $3k discount (all on the 6), plus lots of discount on accessories and other accessories thrown it.

At the time I was told that the dealer could not be seen to be discounting the 8 by Mazda HO, therefore the deal was sweetened in the other roundabout ways...

Wildcard

Both dealers I dealt with were not negotiable on their prices (pre-ordered in May). Supply well exceeding demand. One dealer quoted $67,490; the other $67,990. You'll never guess where I went.

Even if the dealerships are playing hardball, at least you have 4 to choose from. I'm sure that at least one of them will be willing to help at least a little to get your busness over their competitors.

BVD

Thanks for some more useful info Kev and D.G.W.

Good points Lock & Load (and thanks too for the offers). I guess that waiting until January would be a good move (business head says "yes, wait", but impatient heart says "bugger it, that's 3 months driving lost, and anyway you have the money....).

Can't get over East at the moment, but my wife has a trip to Adelaide coming up in November ( Hey sweetheart, there's something I'd like you to bring back from Adelaide for me... )

Lock & Load

BVD ( CHRIS )

I have picked up an anuasuall havit which i never had before every time i get near or pass a VOLVO i find myself muttering BLOODY VOLVO DRIVER ( BVD) HAHA HA .


Michael

BVD

It's OK Michael, my rehabilitation from Volvo driving is now well under way.

Being a sedate old chap of 57, I went for a fairly sombre, conservative sort of colour, as you can see.... :p

Chris.

Lock & Load

Chris

Congratulaions in choosing yellow ,while most forum members are conservative in their choice of colours , its good to see the old rotaritarians go for the bright happy colours.

The only disadvantage with yellow imo its
difficult to hide the young women you could be tempted to drive around.

Any way in our old age we could always become" RX8 SUGAR DADDYS "

Here on the gold coast there a plenty of girls who would be more than happy to take up the offer.

"EVERY MAN DIES ,BUT NOT EVERYMAN TRULY LIVES "

Enjoy your RX8, to the fullest, great picof you and your new baby .
MICHAEL

Kev

Is it an optical illusion or does BVD's 8 look a little "lowered"???

msydd

Congrats BVD... that was quick!

Looks great as well (pity there weren't any blue ones available!)

BVD

Kev,

The 'lowered look' is probably an illusion caused by the fact that my wife taking the photo was standing several steps up on the path up to our house. So shooting from a couple of feet above the car.

L&L,

I did ask the salesman if it came with a red-headed mistress. He replied that, alas, that had been the Special for July only....

timbo

Now I get the yellow thing -- you guys like redheads who, of course, provide a contrast.

While we Red owners prefer blondes :D

Welcome to ownership, BVD. Must admit I had a 740 turbo for a while

Kev

While we're doing the volvos anonymous thing, I'll admit to test driving two in recent years and also having to drive a couple of company volvos in the late 70's (wow - that makes me feel old!).

Dez

not much anonymous about posting your "volvo issues" here * grin *

either seek professional help now, or use an alternative medicine.. go drive your RX8!

you'll be right as rain in no time..

++dez;

ps: bloody volvo drivers ( yea - I'm not influenced by advertising )